Today’s blog starts my in-depth look at my NCAA Experience Chart. For 7 years I had listed an experience chart, which broke down the number of seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen each team had in the two deep and rated the teams experience level with a formula I devised. In 2009, I made the experience chart FIVE TIMES better.

Today I will look at the number of career starts returning for offensive lineman.

When most folks judge a team for the upcoming season they look at the QB, RB and WR’s that are returning. A few may take the time to look at star defensive players that are back (those with a lot of sacks or interceptions). However, very few look at the offensive line and yet the team that controls the line of scrimmage wins the game more often than not.

This year FBS newcomer Appalachian St is the top team in the country with 145 career starts returning but since all of those starts come at the FCS level, they do not rank in my Top 45 of OL units. UTSA is #2 with 143 starts returning but like Appalachian St do not appear among my top OL units. Coming in at #3 is Indiana who has 130 career OL starts returning and they rank as my #13 overall OL as HC Kevin Wilson played OL at North Carolina and emphasizes the position. LY the Hoosiers opened holes for 202 ypg rush (5.3) and allowed just 3.8% sks. If you purchase my magazine you will find that Oregon (108 career starts returning) and Auburn (113 career starts returning) are my two top rated offensive lines.

At the bottom of the list is Tennessee who has just 6 starts returning. Two Big Ten teams in Penn St (provided Miles Dieffenbach doesn’t return) and Ohio State who loses four starters from one of the best OL’s in the country are also at the bottom.

Now experience on the O-line is not the only criteria for an offensive line’s potential for the next year. You have to add in the Blue Chips, how last year’s line performed (ypc rushing and sacks allowed), size, etc. That is how a team like Alabama can be just #107 in career starts returning (37 starts) but rate as my #8 overall OL this year.

Here are the rankings for all 128 teams with regards to Career OL Starts Returning.

Career OL Starts Returning

NCAA

OL Career

NCAA

OL Career

Rank

Team

Starts

Rank

Team

Starts

1

Appalachian St

145

65

Memphis

63

2

UTSA

143

66

Iowa

62

3

Indiana

130

66

Arizona St

62

4

Minnesota

129

68

Maryland

61

5

Washington

124

68

Michigan St

61

6

North Texas

123

68

Mississippi

61

7

Louisville

121

71

Western Michigan

60

8

UNLV

117

71

Troy

60

9

Idaho

115

73

Tulane

59

10

Florida St

114

73

Colorado

59

11

Auburn

113

75

TCU

57

11

South Carolina

113

75

UAB

57

13

South Alabama

110

75

San Diego St

57

14

Oregon

108

78

Middle Tenn

56

15

Oklahoma

107

79

Akron

55

16

Northern Illinois

106

79

Bowling Green

55

17

USF

104

81

Notre Dame

54

17

Arizona

104

81

Georgia

54

19

Northwestern

100

83

WKU

53

19

Toledo

100

83

Nevada

53

19

Buffalo

100

83

USC

53

22

Rutgers

99

86

Arkansas

51

23

Illinois

96

87

Virginia

49

24

Georgia Southern

94

87

Clemson

49

25

Rice

92

87

Texas

49

26

Louisiana

91

90

Wake Forest

48

26

Texas St

91

90

Wyoming

48

28

Central Michigan

90

90

Arkansas St

48

28

Eastern Michigan

90

93

Utah

46

30

Texas A&M

89

94

UCF

45

31

UCLA

88

94

Georgia Tech

45

32

Iowa St

87

94

West Virginia

45

32

Miami, Oh

87

97

SMU

44

34

BYU

86

97

North Carolina

44

35

Navy

85

97

Kent St

44

36

Duke

83

97

Ball St

44

36

Vanderbilt

83

101

Old Dominion

43

38

Hawaii

82

102

Oregon St

42

39

Miss St

81

103

Georgia St

41

40

ULM

79

104

Ohio

39

41

Syracuse

78

105

East Carolina

38

41

Boston College

78

105

Oklahoma St

38

43

Texas Tech

76

107

Michigan

37

44

Houston

75

107

Southern Miss

37

44

LSU

75

107

Alabama

37

46

Wisconsin

74

110

Kansas

36

46

Kentucky

74

111

Connecticut

33

46

New Mexico St

74

111

Temple

33

49

Miami, Fl

73

111

FAU

33

49

Virginia Tech

73

111

Colorado St

33

49

California

73

111

Washington St

33

52

Missouri

72

116

Nebraska

32

53

Cincinnati

71

117

Tulsa

31

54

Pittsburgh

70

117

Purdue

31

54

Kansas St

70

119

Massachusetts

30

56

NC State

69

120

Utah St

27

56

UTEP

69

121

Boise St

26

56

FIU

69

121

Stanford

26

59

New Mexico

68

123

Air Force

25

60

Fresno St

67

124

Louisiana Tech

24

61

Florida

66

125

San Jose St

23

62

Army

65

126

Ohio St

21

63

Baylor

64

127

Penn St

20

63

Marshall

64

128

Tennessee

6

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